Project 10073 Record Card — Washington, D.C., 23 February 1954

This document contains records related to a UFO sighting reported in Washington, D.C., on 23 February 1954. The primary witness, a Capital Transit Company bus driver, reported observing a round, dull white, metallic object at approximately 1645 hours while waiting for a bus near the Washington Monument. The witness described the object as being about one-third the size of the moon, moving at an estimated 20 mph, and emitting a loud roar. The sighting lasted approximately seven seconds. The witness, who was accompanied by five other people, noted that the object appeared to reflect sunlight and was rigid and solid. The report includes a routing sheet from the Collection Control Branch of the Directorate of Intelligence, which notes that a large weather balloon was released from the Silver Hill, Maryland observatory at 1600 hours on the same day. This release was suggested as a possible explanation for the sighting, although the document explicitly states this was not intended to direct the nature of the inquiry. The file also contains a 'Tentative Observers Questionnaire' completed by the witness, which provides detailed sketches and descriptions of the object's motion and appearance. The document includes several enclosures, such as weather maps and charts, intended to assist in the evaluation of the incident. The case was classified under Project 10073. The document also contains references to other historical incidents, including the 1957 Macon, Georgia incident, the 1950 Mariana case, and the 1948 Captain Mantell incident, providing context for the Air Force's evaluation methods during this period. The final conclusion for the Washington sighting was that it was likely a balloon, based on the proximity of the weather balloon release to the time and location of the sighting.